SynthMaster One is an easy to use wavetable synthesizer with an intuitive workflow. Although it shares the same engine with its bigger brother SynthMaster, it comes with new features like wavetable synthesis. With its simple layout, rich wavetable/waveform content and inspiring factory presets library, designing new sounds with SynthMaster One is very easy.

Features:

Cross-platform VST and AU: SynthMaster One runs as a VST instrument on both Windows and Mac OS X, and also as an Audio Unit instrument on Mac OS X. On Windows, it runs as a standalone application as well.

Semi-Modular Architecture: For each SynthMaster One instance, there are 2 oscillators with 2 sub oscillators, 2 Filters, 4 ADSR Envelopes, 2 LFOs, a powerful 16 step arpeggiator/sequencer and also 11 different efffects that can be inserted on to 6 FX insert slots. The sub oscillators can be connected to the oscillators in 5 different modes which let you use it as a regular sub oscillator or do complex modulations such as ring modulation, amplitude modulation, phase modulation or frequency modulation.

Wavetable Synthesis: SynthMaster One implements true wavetable synthesis which opens up new possibilities for sound design. Unlike SynthMaster where you can sequence up to 16 waveforms to create a wavetable, you can import wave files that contain wavetables into SynthMaster One and use them in your projects. SynthMaster One comes with a rich wavetable library and you can extend that by placing wavetables under the Waveforms folder of SynthMaster One.

Stereo Oscillators with up to 16 voices Unison: Each of the 2 oscillators in SynthMaster One have stereo output, and can have up to 16 voices "unison". Using the "voices", "voices mix", "detune curve", "detune spread", "pan stread", "tone spread" and "phase spread" parameters, each oscillator can generate a rich "supersaw" type sound.

Sub Oscillators: Each of the 2 oscillators in SynthMaster One has a sub oscillator, which can operate in different ways: Sub (+), Ring Modulation, Amplitude Modulation, Phase Modulation or Frequency Modulation. The Sub Oscillator can also synthesize different types of noise.

Zero Delay Feedback Filters: Each filter in SynthMaster One has 4 different categories: Ladded, Diode Ladder, State Variable and Bite. All of those filter algorithms are developed using the zero delay feedback filter technology. With advanced filter parameters like input gain, drive and acid, you can get that "analog" sound from the filters.

Microtuning: SynthMaster One supports Scala tuning, so tuning can be set either for each preset or globally by loading from a Scala tuning file. SynthMaster One comes with tunings analyzed from analog synthesizers.

Preset Browser: SynthMaster One features a comprehensive preset browser with separate search criterias for instrument type, preset attributes, music style or preset author.

16 Step Arpeggiator/Sequencer: The arpeggiator in SynthMaster One features classic arpeggiator modes such as Up, Down, UpDown, DownUp, UpDown2, DownUp2, AsPlayed as well as Sequence, Chord and Arpeggiate modes. Each of the 16 steps of the arpeggiator has its own Velocity, Note Number, Note Length, Slide and Hold parameters.\.

Importing MIDI patterns as Arpeggiator Sequence: Monophonic or even polyphonic (chord) MIDI patterns can be imported into the arpeggiators in SynthMaster One by just drag and drop of the MIDI file onto the arpeggiator view on the plugin window.

A demo version of SynthMaster One is available. It is identical to the standard version except for 2 limitations:

This one-pager is great for pulling up and quickly getting a sound you want. The sound quality is really good. It has a lot of interesting wavetables and waveshapes included, and the filters are great. Maybe it's just how the presets are designed, but I think it sounds better than it's bigger brother Synthmaster 2. One stand-out feature is that each of the two oscillators has a sub-oscillator which can also serve as a modulator for the oscillator. So this makes FM/AM easy and possible.

The interface is pretty clear and pleasant looking. The overall design makes sense and it clear and logical.

Modulation is easier to work with than Synthmaster 2. There are some visual cues which are helpful, and the modulation matrix is pretty easy to deal with.

If you own Synthmaster 2 (which I do) you get Synthmaster One super cheap and it's definitely worth it. I reach for Synthmaster One a lot of times when I just want to pull up an arpeggiated sound or a bass sound quickly and with no fuss.

I think it shares the same effects with Synthmaster 2 which in my opinion are a weak spot. Also I find the envelopes difficult to work with. They don't necessarily do what I expect them to do. Could be user error or could be a bug. Also I find that when I start changing things, I end up frequently clipping on the output (goes into the red) and I have to move the volume down to the lowest level. Again, could be user-error but I don't have that problem as much on other synths.

It's very light on the CPU and RAM so you can probably run as many instances as you want without issue if you have a modern computer.

I like that the developer is actively involved with the community and genuinely seems to want to make his customers happy. KV331 has been releasing updates and fixing bugs so I believe the synth will grow over time and some of the possible issues will be ironed out. I can see this growing into a 5-star synth in the future with a few updates.

After working with this synth a couple of weeks all day long and creating a really cool soundset that I want to share with you guys, I have a veredict:

Synthmaster ONE is UBER SUPERB HYPER MEGA SWAG LIT BRUH!

It's a really powerful tool to create everything you want, from dubstep wubs to cinematic pads, I can even make drums here, sounds so warm and true analog, filters are precious, you can add your own wavetables, it's like sylenth1 on steroids! outstanding quality, very little CPU usage, I'm in love with Synthmaster ONE.

Now let's talk about what I hate about Synthmaster ONE, the annoying bugs that are ruining my life, I wish I could upload videos and presets here to show you how bad it behaves but let's make it quick so maybe our friends on KV331 Audio fix those glitches in the next version:

1. When you apply distortion, the mod envelope linked to the filter has a strange behavior, when you apply attack 0 mid decay, sustain 0 and release 0 and the vol envelope with attack 0 decay full sustain full release 0, it sounds like if you have sustain activated but in a low volume, never seen something like that even in free rubbish synths made with synthedit. The filter is supposed to cut all.

2. When you make a mono lead and you select the slide option in the glide section, there's a weird trasition from one note to other, for example, you play C after E a couple of times and after you are playing C suddenly you hear E...

3. Sometimes the sequencer doesn't work, you activate it and draw some patters but it does nothing.

4. I've designed a cool guitar preset that sounds like the depeche mode clean guitar and it overloads the CPU to 99%

6. When you link some controllers to the matrix mod, you can get some pop up errors.

7. When I make a kickdrum (mono, obviously) and I play some fast notes an unknow click sounds very high, I don't know what it causes that sound.

8. Sometimes the CPU load goes from 5 to 99 using just one instance of synthmaster one and I have a high spec computer.

9. Where are the Online Presets? you can upload presets to the server but the synth has not that option like Synthmaster 2

10. Sometimes the patches are out of tune, even the patches you create from init preset. It's unbelievable!

Overall I think this synth really worth your money and I really hope the KV331 Audio Team can work on those flaws as soon as possible so this could be a serious competitor to the most acclaimed wavetable synth at the moment.

If you use settings to change the user theme, the option to change it back in settings sometimes disappear. Well, you can right click other places in the user interface to change the theme, but it should work in settings too.

Many default patches are not in tune, making it difficult to use with other instruments - especially if you are a new user who haven't learned controlling the synt yet, it can be difficult to re-tune those patches. Those patches should be in tune from the start. It gives a bad impression of a hurried product released to early - I use the synt in my setups less because of this.

It was Andremega. Well normaly I wouldn't change that, but did it while switching skins, when the skin list (in settings) suddently disappeared and the global scale list took its place. I just tried changing it to "Preset", but there are still some not tuned patches. The change to "Preset" scale didnt change anything here.

The preset scale is set to equal tempered.

Just scrolled through a few patches (quickly to reply on this, so this is only a tiny handfull) and some of the patches out of tune are "PAD Venus Calling", "PLG Sky UK", "PRC Spider Step" and "SYN Chokepoint VS". So you should go through all the patches and fix those out of tune.

I know about the 11 effects, and didn't write 6. Still the effects section could be better - but its an okay start. Maybe next version then ;-)

It was Andremega. Well normaly I wouldn't change that, but did it while switching skins, when the skin list (in settings) suddently disappeared and the global scale list took its place. I just tried changing it to "Preset", but there are still some not tuned patches. The change to "Preset" scale didnt change anything here.

The preset scale is changing according to which preset/patch I am chosing. I had an odd tone on one of the KEY presets (think it was "KEY Self Osc Keys") and it was set to equal tempered. Then I selected the listbox (to see its options) and reselected equal tempered. Then the tone got in tune and I cant recreate the out of tune for that patch. That seems a little strange.

Just scrolled through a few patches (quickly to reply on this, so this is only a tiny handfull) and some of the patches out of tune are "PAD Venus Calling", "PLG Sky UK", "PRC Spider Step" and "SYN Chokepoint VS". So you should go through all the patches and fix those out of tune.

I know about the 11 effects, and didn't write 6. Still the effects section could be better - but its an okay start. Maybe next version then ;-)

One special thing I notice about this synthesizer is that it often sounds a little distorted. Like something is overdriven somewhere in the signal chain inside SynthMaster One. And that is on many sounds not even using the distortion effect. It might be to make it sound special (big, wide, etc.), but now when I hear it I cant stop hearing it. I never overdrive my signal chain, so I know it is not due to that. Of cause it is about how the patches are made (and how they are passed on between the modules in the software), but I dont hear this distortion on other synths, so it should be checked out.

I must say though, there are also times when this synthesizer sounds fantastic. So to the price, it is surely worth it ;-)